Why Post Natal Depression Can Be a Positive Life Event

Post Natal Depression can be crippling. But surprisingly, it can also help you grow as a person, it can be positive and it even has the power to change your perceptions. Here’s why Post Natal Depression can be a positive life event:

As a counsellor helping women with Post Natal Depression I see women forced to realise they are not taking care of themselves. They became neglectful of their own personal needs. Even though they were individuals in their own right before becoming mothers, let’s be honest, putting yourself first almost goes against your natural instincts as a mother.

Over time, I start to see them being okay about saying no to people who take them for granted.

Usually they notice they don’t have anyone to talk to, nor do they want to say out loud what is happening to them. But after seeking help, they are able to tell everyone that PND is normal. They open conversations about it.

It’s interesting when Type A personalities (who would normally try to have everything perfect) now learn how to use their precious time, and that they can live freely with imperfections.

Every day I see that the PND journey, and it is a journey, has afforded women the opportunity (albeit under duress at times) to dig deep and confront their pains and perceptions.

Joanna is a qualified counsellor and psychotherapist, and founder of Mammy Matters with a private practice in Lucan & Naas. She is a psychotherapist with the charity Nurture, and has previously worked with HSE/ tusla, for over 10 years,helping children and families in crisis. She is Mother to two sons (one with special needs) and a daughter, and would describe herself as a bit of an" outside the box" thinker.